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For years when we’ve gone to Las Vegas for one reason or another, Nick and I always remark how much we’d like to do eventually do a Las Vegas foodie weekend there, just hopping from one great restaurant to another. And we finally worked that exact trip into our schedule this year with a trip in January where all we did was basically eat! Las Vegas has a huge abundance of amazing restaurants from high-caliber chefs and it’s an amazing place to go if you love to eat amazing food. One note for your foodie weekend – be sure to make reservations for all of you larger meals as most of these spots fill up fast!

We made our trip into a long weekend as we wanted to take advantage of several nights there for dinner out. We also divided our meals into more mid-range style lunches to higher-end dinners. I will say straight away, we knew we were going to eat and had saved money specifically for that part of the trip, so we did end up spending a decent amount on our meals while there. You could for sure do a less expensive trip like this, but we chose to splurge while there because we’ve wanted to do it for a long time. Another note on budgeting for this trip, we ended up spending about $1,000 for our 3 days there, not including our hotel and flights which we booked on points. When we were considering doing this trip this year, we specifically decided to do this Las Vegas foodie weekend plus our upcoming National Parks road trip through Utah in March instead of doing one large Europe trip this Spring. We’ll end up spending about the same amount of money between both US trips as we would have going to Europe like we usually do, so we factored that in from the beginning.

So, with all that said, here’s how to do a 3-day itinerary for a Las Vegas foodie weekend!

Day 1

Arrive into Las Vegas and head to your hotel. If you’re staying on The Strip like we did, grab a taxi at the airport and the fare should be a flat amount right around $30. We used to always stay at the Luxor and the last few trips, our go to has been the Vdara, which is connected to the Bellagio but doesn’t have a casino, which is kind of nice to get away from it all. Just be sure you arrive in time for dinner on Day 1!

Dinner at Giada at the Cromwell – I’d recommend starting with the Arugula salad followed by the Scallops for dinner. Oh and don’t skimp on the delicious bread to start, complete with incredible pesto and fried capers!

Day 2

For your first full day in Las Vegas, if you’ve never been, use this as a day to explore The Strip. Most the hotels connect to each other so you can go from one to the other pretty easily. Be prepared to walk a lot!

Brunch at Mesa Grill at Caesar’s Palace – I’ve eaten at Mesa Grill twice, once in New York City and once in Las Vegas and I will be honest and say that my meal in NYC was way better than our meal in Vegas. However, it was a pretty good brunch and if you’re a fan of Bobby Flay (I am!), it’s fun going here. The complimentary muffin basket is excellent and I ordered the steak tortilla breakfast which was basically like a breakfast steak taco and every bite was really good. The scrambled eggs were truly the best I’ve ever had and the maple glazed bacon was divine, overall, I’d say it was a really solid spot for a fun brunch.

Spend your afternoon either napping or exploring! We did a little gambling and then headed back to the hotel for a nice long restful afternoon.

Dinner at Bacchanal Buffet at Caesar’s Palace – You have to do at least one buffet while in Vegas as they are such a “Vegas thing.” There are lots of cheap ones still around but if you want to go a little higher-end, the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesar’s is well worth it. For $65 per person, you’ll have endless amounts of roasted meats, shrimp cocktails, crab legs and an endless dessert buffet bar. There is everything from Southern American food to Asian classics to sushi here and you truly can eat to heart’s content.

Day 3

After a very full eating Day 2, we chose to grab a Starbucks coffee and just relax in our room on our second full day in Las Vegas. You could also head out and explore if you want!

Lunch at China Poblano at The Cosmopolitan – We’ve eaten here before and were really excited to go back. This spot in The Cosmopolitan by José Andres is incredible and both times we’ve been, the food has been amazing. I’d recommend starting with the table side guacamole, followed by the Chorizo con Papas Sopes, 18 Monk noodles, Xiaolongbao and fried Brussel Sprouts.

Take your last day in Las Vegas to spend some time gambling in the afternoon. We walked over to the Paris Hotel and Casino right across the street from The Cosmopolitan after lunch. It’s a little cheaper in terms of tables than the Bellagio and Caesar’s. Nick played Craps for a bit and left with a nice little amount of winnings. Just don’t gamble more than you can afford! You don’t want to walk away loosing a whole bunch; it’s about the fun of it and not how much you can try to loose.

Dinner at Mizumi at the Wynn – We knew going into this trip that this would be our splurge meal. Both of our other dinners ran about $100-$150 for the two of us and we knew that we’d spend more on this meal so we went into it knowing we wanted it to be special. We picked Mizumi for a few reasons. First, we’ve never been down to the Wynn Hotel on past trips and were excited to see it. Second, Nick’s not a big red-meat eater so we didn’t want to do a high end steak house for this meal. And third, we wanted something really different and really unique to Vegas for our splurge meal. Mizumi meets that criteria with its bright red dining room and eclectic menu. If you go early, you’ll most likely get a great table right next to the glass windows looking out over a pond and waterfall and it really is beautiful. We ordered the Edamame with Truffle Salt (it was divine!), the Wagyu Dumplings (really good but really rich), the fried Brussel sprouts (good, but pretty standard), the Robata platter (their mixed assortment of grilled meats, fish and vegetables – it was really good to try, not sure I’d order again), and sushi. Now truly, the sushi was incredible and if I went back in the future, I’d probably go and just order a bunch of sushi here. I got salmon and scallop nigiri. Nick got Tuna nigiri and it was all incredible. The winner over everything here though, the cocktail. I got the Pear Cosmopolitan and went through two of them during our dinner (considering I don’t usually drink cocktails or more than one glass at wine at dinner, you know it must have been amazing!). The almond milk rice pudding for dessert was also delightful. For a splurge dinner and something really unique to Las Vegas, Mizumi is the place to go!

Headed to Las Vegas?

Food is often a large part of why we travel. Tasting local flavors and having dinners at famous restaurants is all part of the allure for food for me when exploring. Certain places have certain foods or restaurants that you just have to try while there. The problem? Many times that involves waiting in lines, sometimes very long lines. I’m not a line person and will pretty much do whatever I can to avoid the wait, so here are my best tips for how to eat the best food around the world without the lines!

Make a Reservation

For big cities, this is a must. When we visit New York or London and want to eat a nice restaurant or a famous spot, we always make reservations. And sometimes, for certain places, reservations must be made months in advance. For example, we’ll be in New York in March and I already have it on my calendar in the next couple weeks to make our dinner reservations as they open 60 days in advance. You’ll get to eat at some of the most delicious restaurants in the world if you can plan ahead and make reservations!

Go to Breakfast places in the Afternoon

I love the beignets at Cafe due Monde in New Orleans but if you go in the morning (when everyone is eating beignets and coffee), you’ll probably experience a long line and a short wait for tables. But, if you go in the mid afternoon, everyone is out exploring New Orleans and you’ll most likely have the whole place to yourself without a wait. I employ this trick often when we travel of going to places most people want to go in the morning, but instead going in the afternoon when it’s quiet and you won’t have to wait.

Eat Dinner Early

Another way to eat at some of the best spots in the world is to eat dinner early right when the restaurant opens instead of waiting until the time when everyone is having dinner. This is especially great when you’re jet lagged and off schedule anyways. Show up at whatever restaurant you want at 4:30 or 5 when they open and you’ll probably have a better chance of getting in.

Leverage your Blog

A few years ago in Barcelona, Nick had watched a show about the famous restaurant Tickets there and really wanted to go. Tickets is notorious for being very hard to get into and often has a months’ long waiting list. On a whim, I sent an email to the restaurant asking if I could visit and review my experience for my blog. One day, a few weeks later, I got on email with a reservation for the two of us. It’s worth leveraging your blog if you have one to see if you can get in to some place because you never know what they’ll say!

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Southern food and my trips to this region of the USA always include mandatory stops for specific types of foods that I can’t really get easily in the Western part of the country. And while Southern Fried Chicken is a staple of mine when traveling through the South, New Orleans has its own lineup of food specific to the NOLA region of the South. You’ll find a Cajun influence in Louisiana that you don’t get in the other Southern States and offers a very unique menu of food on offer. So now to make us all hungry for an amazing Southern meal, if you’re in Louisiana, don’t miss all the amazing offerings of the area and here is the best food to eat in New Orleans!

Red Beans and Rice

This comfort-food dish is a staple in Louisiana and it will not disappoint.

Andouille Sausage

With a specific flavor and texture that just makes you think of NOLA, try a dish with andouille sausage.

Gumbo

Ahh gumbo. It’s basically a gravy filled with delicious meat and seafood and vegetables and made into a soup.

Shrimp and Grits

Maybe my favorite thing ever, I’ll never pass up shrimp and grits if it’s on the menu. Grits are a staple of Southern food, but try them with Gulf shrimp while in NOLA and you won’t be disappointed.

Beignets

Ok, I may or may not have traveled back to New Orleans just for the beignets. Seriously. Whether you’re eating them with heaps of powdered sugar at Cafe du Monde or lighter versions at other places throughout New Orleans, they are delicious regardless. Little clouds of Heaven if you ask me…

Fried Chicken

This list wouldn’t be complete without the Southern Staple of Fried Chicken. There is just something about how it tastes in the American South that can’t quite be replicated out West. And add a nice buttermilk biscuit on the side and I’m good to go!

Five years ago we headed to New Orleans for the first time. Long story short, the trip wasn’t a great one. So this year when the opportunity came up to go back to the Louisiana city, we thought it was time to give it another shot and I’m so glad we did! We ended up really enjoying our time in NOLA this time around and got to explore so many new and different areas that we didn’t get to see last time around.

We stayed in the French Quarter, but farther away from Bourbon Street than last time, which afforded us a very different perspective of the city. We also had better expectations of the city going into our trip and were able to explore differently than the previous time. All in all, New Orleans really is a unique destination all in itself and there is no other place like it. The ornate architecture, the details in every building, provide a sense of place that could only be in New Orleans. The food, Cajun and Southern is out of this world and truly a testament to the region. New Orleans is one of those places that has a very specific kind of charm: old buildings that look like they are truly falling down around you, French and Spanish influences that are reminiscent of European cities but totally unique to NOLA and an American culture totally specific to this part of the country.

Some of my favorites spots to check out in New Orleans:

Cafe du Monde – I don’t think you can come to NOLA without a stop here for their famous beignets and cafe au lait. My recommendation – go in the evening while everyone is at dinner or the bars and you won’t even have a wait!

Cafe Beignet – This cute little spot on Royal Street in the French Quarter is one of my favorites. They have regular food too but their beignets and iced lattes are to die for.

NOLA – Emeril Lagasse’s restaurant in the French Quarter is a great option for dinner. We went on our first trip there and again on this trip and were not disappointed!

Muriel’s – This was a recommendation from a local friend of ours and for a fun local New Orleans dinner, this place was great. The rumor is that it’s haunted and while I really wanted to have a drink in their Seance Room upstairs, it was booked the whole time were there. But we did have a glass of wine in their courtyard bar and dinner in their main dining room and the whole experience was great!

St. Roch Market – This great spot in Bywater is an indoor market full of amazing food options. We went for lunch and could hardly decide what to get because everything looked so good!

Welcome to Portland Week! I realized that while I share so much about all the places I visit, I often don’t share as much here on Land of Marvels about my amazing home city of Portland, Oregon which is becoming a tourist destination in its own right. With an amazing food scene, incredible landscapes and a really livable downtown, Portland is an up-and-coming destination with so much to offer. All week I’ll be giving you local advice and information on how to make your visit to Portland the best it can be!

My home city of Portland is a true foodie haven and over the past handful of years we’ve really made a name for ourselves in the food scene we have here. World renowned chefs and amazing restaurants are popping up everywhere in the Rose City that often it can be hard to keep it straight with where you should eat when come visit. I happen to live downtown (on the West side of the River) so while there are many amazing restaurants on the East Side, I’m limiting my suggestions here to the NW sections of the city which are close to downtown.

So if you’re headed to Portland in the future, here’s where I suggest you eat and a complete guide to Portland’s foodie scene.

In NW

Pearl District

Andina – This Peruvian spot is a must eat spot in Portland. The menu is exotic but every single thing is divine. My favorites are the Tortilla Española and the bread with salsas. You’ll want to make a reservation here!

Piazza Italia – Want to be in Portland but feel like you’ve been transported to Rome? This is your spot for that. Straight from Rome, the waiters are true Italians and the food is Italy on a plate, complete with Italian soccer playing on the TV’s. Be sure to make a reservation here… it’s tiny and fills up fast!

Oven and Shaker – For a foodie spin on pizza, Oven and Shaker is the best choice. It’s conveniently located and the food is amazing. Try their Salami pizza drizzled with honey!

Isabel Pearl – One of my favorite breakfast spots in the city, Isabel Pearl is a cute little diner type restaurant with elevated food. Their blackberry pancakes are divine.

Paragon – For good elevated American food, Paragon is the spot. Their grilled cheese and tomato soup is a favorite, but everything on their menu is amazing.

Cheryl’s on 12th – Another of my favorite breakfast spots and while technically it’s not truly in the Pearl, it’s right over Burnside so I’m looping it in. Their breakfast sandwich here is to die for!

NW 23rd Ave. / Nob Hill

Fireside – For an amazing brunch or a quiet dinner, Fireside is a great spot right on NW 23rd Ave. Their entire menu is amazing and the ambience truly takes it to another level.

Besaw’s – As our neighborhood “regular spot” for breakfast, Besaw’s is an old Portland institution. Even though they’ve moved from their original building into a newer building now on NW21st and Raleigh, their menu is amazing and the service is fantastic. We go early at 8am when they open and sit at the bar, but if you go later, be prepared to wait, it gets crowded! Try their Farmer’s Hash and the Avocado Toast!

Kung Pow – For elevated Chinese food, Kung Pow on NW 21st is the spot to go. It’s not greasy, has amazing flavor and they make all their noodles in house. Try their Cashew Chicken and their potstickers!

Ataula – One of our all time favorite Portland foodie spots, Ataula is Spanish food and the chef is directly from Barcelona. It’s a small neighborhood restaurant, but go early as it gets super crowded in the evenings. Try their Sangria, their Tomato bread and the Rossejat!

St. Jack’s – For standard French food in NW Portland, St. Jack’s is your spot. Sip a glass of Rosé and enjoy a plate of Steak Frites. Make reservations for their dining room or show up and grab a table in the bar.

St. Honoré NW – For one of the best French bakeries outside of France, grab a croissant and café au lait from St. Honoré for breakfast.

Blue Star Donuts – Portland is a donut city, but the creations at Blue Star are the best. Made from brioche with amazing flavors, you’ll love Blue Star. Try the location on NW 23rd for shorter lines.

Matador – When you want Mexican, Matador is the place to go. Located right on NW 23rd Avenue, go for Happy Hour and sip horchata while you much on street tacos and enchiladas rojas.

Southland – When the mood for Southern food strikes, look no further than Southland. I love their Fried Chicken, but you really can’t go wrong with anything on their menu.

*I should also note that this list does not even begin to cover the amount of amazing restaurants in Portland and doesn’t even touch on the East Side spots that are well-known as well! But if you’re staying in Downtown Portland during your visit, these will be the closest to you.